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{
    "id": 43085,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/43085/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 286,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kimunya",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Transport",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, in terms of the tabling of the Estimates, if we can even borrow from the former Constitution, I think this matter is covered by Section 100, which, apart from the timing, says that:- “The Minister for the time being responsible for finance shall cause to be prepared to lay before the National Assembly in each financial year Estimates of the revenues and expenditures of the Government of Kenya for the next following year. It does not have any time line as to whether it should be done. Traditionally, you will recall that the Printed Estimates would actually be tabled on the Tuesday before the reading of the Budget. This time round it has now been said that they have to be tabled two months before. I think it is very important to appreciate that in Section 221 of the current Constitution, it is anticipated that Parliament will enact a law that will define the form and manner of the Budget. That law, in my recollection, has not been passed. So, we will need to then work with the Minister for Finance and agree on terms of the Budget that he will be presenting and what form it will take. Article 221(2)(b) says: “The Estimates referred to in Clause 1 shall be in the form and according to the procedure prescribed by an Act of Parliament.” To my recollection, we have not passed an Act of Parliament to put into effect the provisions of Article 221. The only Act we have close to that is the Fiscal Management Act that prescribes that the Minister shall table the Budget Strategy Paper; I believe it has already been tabled in the Committee and is being debated by the same Committee. The feedback from it is what will then inform the Minister in terms of where to put emphasis and all that. So, I think as we move from the old system to the new system, I do not see whether there have been any breaches, so long as there is understanding across the board. We might have an issue on the definition of the two months, but a Budget Strategy Paper, which contains Estimates of revenue and expenditure, was actually tabled in this House. That may also suffice until we, as a House, define the form and the procedure of an Act of Parliament for the tabling of the Estimates. Mr. Speaker, Sir, so, I would like to urge the House that we do not scuttle things. We should allow the Budget Speech to be read on this date. Kenya is a leading economy within East Africa. Our brothers and sisters in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi will be looking for signals from this country in terms of where we are going for them to know where to invest. If we get ourselves too much in the legalities and some of these things, we could lose on that competitive advantage we have as a country in terms of being the “big brother” of East Africa, and a setter of the pace regarding where development will take place. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will urge that in your ruling, you find that there are still some things to be done by Parliament, and the Minister for Finance has actually not failed in his duties. He can go on and receive that Statement, which is beyond the Estimates on the 8th to just show this country where we are going, where will we be putting our emphasis, where are we expecting money to be taxed from, what are we doing about the cost of living and all the other things that we are grappling with as a Parliament. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}